Power-actuated door



Feb. 18, 1930. F. L. MORSE POWER ACTUATED DOOR Filed 0012. 24, 1925 l ll l l x l .J

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' ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES FRANK L. MORSE, OFITHACA, NEW YORK IPOWER-ACTUAI'ED DOOR Application led October 24,19725. Serial No. 64,590.

This invention relates to door operating mechanisms and has for one ofits primary object-s the provision of a simple, inexpensive andconveniently arranged operating mechanism for opening and closing thedoors by power.

Another object of the invention has to do with improvements in thedesign and disposition of the various parts of the device the advantagesof which will be hereinafter mor fully pointed out.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of asingle power developing means for the operation of large double doors l5which open and close in opposing directions.

The foregoing, together with such other objects as may hereinafterappear, or are incident to my invention I obtain by means of aconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in preferred formwherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan section thru the upper door frame andshowing the operating mechanism in plan view;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I have shown myinvention applied to a pair of two leaf doors A and B, the completeconnections to the door A, however, only being shown to simplify thedrawings, it being understood that the connections to the door B are thesame as for the door A. The first leaf of the door A is designated bythe numeral 7 and the second leaf by the numeral 8, which leaves arehinged together so as to fold on themselves when the door is opened asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Connected to each door is an arm 9 which is pivoted at 10 on the bracket11, said bracket being secured to the building structure 12 at a pointadjacent to the door hinge 13. The

a free end of the arm 9 is connected to the second leaf 8 of the door bymeans-0f the link 14.

- By virtue of this arrangement it will be seenV that the doors can beoperated with a minimum amount of power and that the hinges are relievedof operating thrusts, the same being transmitted mainly to the pivot 10.

A motor device C is mounted on the upper door sill 15 central of thedoor opening, which motor device comprises an electric motor 16 mountedon the base plate 17, anda telescopic operating rod 18 the opposite endsof which areconnected by means of the links 19, 19 to the lever arms 9of the doors at the yoke portions 20 provided on the arms 9. A wormwheel 21 adapted to be driven by a worm 22 mounted on the motor shaft isprovided, 60 which worm wheel has barrel-like extensions 23, 28 at eachside, one providedwith a bore of sufficient diameter to receive theouter member 24 of the telescopic rod and the other to receive the innermember 25. The outer and inner telescopic members are each provided withexternal screw threads, the threads of one being opposite to the threadsof the other (one right hand and one left hand) adapted to engagecorresponding internal threads 26, 27 in their respective barrels, fromwhich it will be seen that as the worm wheel is rotated the telescopicrod 18 is either lengthened or shortened according to the direction ofrotation, whereby the links 19 operate to either close or open the doorsas the case may be.

The operating mechanism just described may be supported by means ofbrackets 28 extending from the base plate 17, which base plate may bemade in two parts for convenience in assembling the device. The brackets28 are provided with heads 29 bored to receive the barrel portions 23 ofthe worm wheel 21. The worm wheel 21 with its barrel portions, 85 ineffect, constitutes a nut, which nut is fixed against longitudinalmovement by the brackets 28. It will thus be seen that the bracketsconstitute a support for the nut and also for the telescopic rod throughthe medium of the nut.

The worm drive and threaded telescopic rod arrangement has the advantageof acting as a lock when the power to the motor is cut off, thussafeguarding against unauthorized opening of the doors and also actingto hold the doors rigidly in open position.

Assuming now that the doors are closed and it is desired to open them,the motor 16 is started, by means of a suitable switch,

which rotates the Worm Wheel 21 and its barrel portions, thus causingthe telescopic rod 18 to lengthen. This causes the links 19 to move in adirection to swing the levers 9 on their pivots and open the doors, thedoor A being shown in its open position in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thearcuate movement of the yoke 2() is taken 'care of by the line 19.

In order to prevent jamming of the door, guide rails 30 are provided forthe rollers 31 on the doors, which rails arecurved inwardly at theirends toward the door hinges for the purpose of separating the leaves ofthe door when the door is moved from open to closed position.

1. An operating mechanism for a pair of doors comprising in combinationa motor, a nut fixed against longitudinal movement but adapted to berotated by said motor, a pair of screw threaded rods one telescoping inthe other each adapted to engage said nut and to be moved longitudinallythereby in opposite directions and connecting means between the rods andthe doors.

2. An operating mechanism for a pair oi doors comprising in combinationa telescopic rod, means operating on said rod to lengthen or shorten it,means connecting one end of said rod to one door and means connectingthe other end of said rod to the other door.

3. An operating mechanism for a pair of doors comprising in combination,a telescopic rod, means operating on said rod to lengthen and shortenit, a support for said means, said support also supporting thetelescopic rod through the medium of said means.

4. The combination With a pair of hinged doors, of an operating unitincluding a rotatable threaded member, a pair of rods threaded into saidmember and telescoped into one another, the threads being such that therods will move toward each other when the threaded member is rotated inone direction and away from each other When rotated in the oppositedirection, a support for said operating unit, and a member connectingone rod to one door and the other rod to the other door.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

FRANK L. MORSE.

